[wplug] Am I a jerk?

[Beth Lynn]

Hello,

I am writing this letter in hopes of helping Don and other's like him.
The sort answer for the impatient is "No, but you aren't alone"

For your reference, I answered a similar question on wplug-plan earlier
this year http://www.wplug.org/pipermail/wplug-plan/2004-May/001097.html

The long answer is as follows. I have been volunteering for WPLUG for at
least the past 4 years and I have been acting as the board chair since
January 1, 2004. As an individual I have supported endeavors that promote
Linux and Open Source with my time and money.

People often ask me, why do I do it?

Do I get paid to do this?
No. However I do have a very supportive employer who has contributed
countless valuable resources to WPLUG each time when asked.

Would it be for the popularity?
Nope.
Login to #wplug on freenode and you will find some folks that aren't too
found of me or my work with WPLUG.
Check the archives of this list and you will find some of the most heated
flame wars were aimed at yours truly.
No one can please everyone, simple as that.

Because I like standing on chairs yelling "PEEET-ZA"?
OK, you are getting closer

OK, so why then?
Promoting Linux and Open Source is a thankless labor of love. I feel a
great gratitude for Linux and Open Source. Furthermore, I've bet my career
on the success of Linux. I feel obligated to help and I encourage others
to do the same. Some people write code, write documentation, speak at
LUGs, answer questions on mailing lists and forums, organize installfests or
GUMs, sponsor conferences, write articles for websites or newsletters,
send letters to politicians, author books or scholarly papers, etc...
The opportunities are endless.
The rewards are minimal.
I do this because I just so happen to enjoy doing it. It makes me happy to
know that a local LUG exists so I feel honored just to be involved.

I do admit, perhaps the community at large should do a better job at
thanking those who contribute. It simply baffles me that we have problems
getting people to simply sign thank-you cards for WPLUG speakers. Heck I
can't even get people to sign in at meetings. My guess is there's a
defiant force that keeps people in the closet about their Linux/Open
Source enthusiasm.

Just in case anyone was confused, using Linux does not automatically make
you a social outcast. It also does not make you a Communist either. You
don't have to be shy about this anymore.

I'll take one more guess as to why Open Source is thankless. It's
about respect. Some people still do not understand that free does
not equal low quality, so much so that it does not deserve a simple
"thank you". Open Source therefore is taken for granted. Sure,
the same people who put their blood, sweat, and tears could be doing
something else with their time and get paid better for doing it. Did you
ever consider that the Open Source movement exists due to the
dissatisfaction with the alternative? I personally am thankful that
I have a choice to use Linux or thank Bill Gates by buying yet another
copy of Windows.

Let me publicly say it now. Thank you Linus. Thank you WPLUG.

Thank You,

Beth Lynn Eicher